Laura Pettitt was found not guilty of cruelty to babies in her care. Photograph: Steve Parsons/PA

A nursery worker was cleared today of shaking, dropping and force-feeding children in her care.

Laura Pettitt, 27, was accused of cruelty to 10 children at the Little Stars nursery in Bromley, south London. After a week-long trial at Croydon crown court she was found not guilty on all counts.

Pettitt wept in the dock as the unanimous verdicts were read out.

Pettitt, from Beckenham, south-east London, was accused of throwing babies about and putting blankets over their faces if they would not go to sleep.

When she was arrested and interviewed by police in January last year she said her colleagues made up "malicious" allegations against her after learning she was a lesbian, the jury heard.

Outside court, Pettitt said her life had been "hell" while she awaited trial. "Justice has been served. I'm relieved it's all over. I just want to get on with my life – it's been on hold for two years. The whole thing was ridiculous."

Pettitt said the claims against her had been concocted, adding: "I don't know if it was because of my sexuality."

She said she would not be returning to work in childcare.

Pettitt worked at Little Stars nursery for seven years and became manager of the baby room, where she was in charge of babies aged a few months up to toddlers, the court heard.

A number of nursery assistants gave evidence, alleging that she was cruel to the children she was looking after.

Simon Taylor, defending, said Pettitt had been the victim of rumours and "bitchiness" among her colleagues that took on "epic proportions".

He said she was "confident and forthright" in her handling of the children and suggested that prosecution witnesses had put a "sinister interpretation" on everyday events such as babies crying and being sick. Taylor said: "She is not a monster. She is just the victim of a whispering campaign of lies and exaggeration."

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